Comparison

Argos Academy vs VARPLE

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Argos Academy

Features
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Raven is a Smartphone Controlled DIY nano-drone by Argos Academy and crafted by Drona Aviation! Argos is the application used to fly Raven. It connects to the Drone’s WiFi Hotspot, giving the user access to the Drone’s Flight Control System. Argos boasts of a number of convenient features that make flying Raven a comfortable and enjoyable experience. PILOT-FRIENDLY CONTROLS Argos app makes for comfortable and enjoyable flight experience with Raven. It features a number of flight options that can be selected by the pilot as per preference and is absolutely user-friendly. AUTOMATED FLIGHT AND FANCY MOVES With newly integrated automated commands, you can now avoid the hassle of manually making Argos take off and you can now show off with your Raven with the Flip Controls in the revamped Argos app! HD STREAMING AND CAMERA FUNCTIONS Use Raven's camera with HD streaming, video, photo, and flip lens functions. PILOT PROFILE AND STATS Create your own Argos Pilot Profile and show off your in-flight stats with your friends! Compete with them to see who can get the longest flight time! DIAGNOSIS (INCLUDING CALIBRATION AND MOTOR TEST) Diagnosing your drone is as simple as a screen tap away. All diagnosis options including sensor calibration and motor testing are available in the Argos App settings, and the pilot can ensure optimal performance from the Drone using these settings.

About

VARPLE

Features
Read full description

VARPLE: Virtual Aerial Remote-Piloting Learning Environment *** VARPLE is designed for school teaching and a school key is REQUIRED to start the simulator. Please contact CLST, CUHK for school key application. *** Dive into the future of drone piloting education with VARPLE. Built for K-12 and higher education learners, VARPLE is a mobile drone simulator that takes a student from their first hover to a full downtown checkride β€” no aircraft, no airspace, and no crash bill. NEW IN THIS VERSION Flight School β€” ten graded missions A structured syllabus that teaches one skill at a time: First Flight, The Elevator, Compass Turns, There and Back, Box Steps, The Circuit, Figure Eight, Spot On, Downtown Checkout, and The Checkride. Every mission states its objective, marks the flight path in the world, and debriefs the student against real criteria β€” touchdown speed, altitude overshoot, position hold β€” with star grading that rewards precision, not luck. Mini games β€” scored flying practice Drown Rescue: fly lifebuoys out to swimmers across the bay before their time runs out. Trains payload placement, hovering over water, and triage under pressure. Infinity Run: ride a storm wind down an endless city canyon that speeds up every second. Trains corridor flying, wind compensation, and small precise inputs at speed. Personal bests are recorded for each game, and more games are on the way. Choose your aircraft A fleet spanning pocket, mini, cinewhoop and industrial classes, each with its own mass, thrust and handling. Some hold position for you; the cinewhoop does not β€” which is exactly the point. Choose your terrain Fly a training field, a downtown trainer, a lifeguard bay, or a coastal dusk scene, each with its own size, light, weather and wind. A built-in terrain editor lets teachers build and share their own stages. KEY FEATURES Authentic drone simulation A physics-based flight model with position hold, battery drain, and real handling differences between airframes. Practice, repeat, and perfect at no risk. Unique pilot's view angle Complying with the Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) Order in Hong Kong, VARPLE simulates the pilot's own perspective from the ground, enhancing training realism and legal compliance. VLOS training and local law compliance Aligned with mandatory operational modes such as Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions, VARPLE teaches students to fly the way local drone law requires. Controller compatibility Connect any Bluetooth game controller for a tactile experience that mimics a real transmitter β€” or fly right away with the built-in on-screen sticks. Stick modes 1, 2 (DJI), 3 and 4 are all supported. Tune it like a real radio Per-axis deadzone, expo, and invert for throttle, pitch, roll and yaw. Choose metres or feet, and decide whether a low battery lands the aircraft for you. Visual cues and indicators Front and back orientation lights, plus battery, speed and displacement readouts, so students always know where the aircraft is pointing and what it is doing. Bilingual interface Full English and Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) throughout. Self-directed learning and pedagogical affordance VARPLE supports self-directed learning and serves as a tool for drone-aimed learning (DAL), letting students progress at their own pace while expanding educational opportunities and applications.

Screenshots

Argos Academy3 screens
VARPLE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Argos Academy at every 2 days against VARPLE's every 2 weeks. Argos Academy also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Argos Academy ships an update every 2 days, VARPLE every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Argos Academy versus VARPLE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArgos AcademyVARPLE
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days β€” betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 β€” better17.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size44 MB311 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDrona AviationCentre for Learning Sciences and Technologies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

In-app purchases

None

Argos Academy

No in-app purchases

None

VARPLE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Argos Academy free?
Argos Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VARPLE free?
VARPLE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Argos Academy or VARPLE have ads?
Neither Argos Academy nor VARPLE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Argos Academy or VARPLE?
Argos Academy ships an update every 2 days, and VARPLE every 2 weeks. Most recently, Argos Academy was updated on October 20, 2026 and VARPLE on October 17, 2026.

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